congressional Democrats

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GOP Hesitates on Call for Mortgage Probe

Lawmakers wary of unearthing more Countrywide ties

(Newser) - GOP lawmakers are leery of investigating mortgage deals Countrywide may have arranged for members of Congress, even though a fellow Republican is leading the charge, Politico reports. More Democratic ties to the troubled lender would give the GOP ammo in a cycle seemingly stacked against it—but the people who...

Congress to Probe 'Misleading' Drug Ads

Cholesterol, anemia drugs in spotlight

(Newser) - A congressional panel will examine three ad campaigns as part of a move to tighten regulations on drug companies' direct-to-consumer marketing, the Wall Street Journal reports. The committee will focus on ads for cholesterol drugs Vytorin and Lipitor, and anemia drug Procrit, which has been promoted as an anti-fatigue drug...

Pelosi, Dems Hijack Colombia Free-Trade Deal

They change House rules to avoid a vote, angering Bush

(Newser) - Congressional Democrats thumbed their noses today at Bush's renewed efforts to pass a free-trade pact with Colombia. Bush sent the bill over Monday, mandating Congress to vote yea or nay within 90 days. Or so he thought. Nancy Pelosi is changing the House rules and won't allow a vote until...

Saddam Paid for Lawmakers' Trip to Iraq

Three congressmen unaware he financed visit in 2002

(Newser) - Saddam Hussein secretly paid for a trip made by three congressmen to Iraq in 2002  just ahead of the US invasion, the AP reports. The congressmen, all of whom opposed the war, did not know Saddam financed the trip because he funneled the money through a nonprofit group in Michigan....

Kucinich Fights Off Challenge for His Seat

Failed presidential bid hurt his standing locally, but he bounced back

(Newser) - Supporters of Dennis Kucinich had reason to worry about last night's primary for the congressional seat he's held for 12 years: with the Democratic gadfly away on the presidential campaign trail for so long, four rivals had built up a formidable challenge. But Kucinich weathered the onslaught to win the...

Pricey Pet Projects Thrive in Congress

Despite criticism, lawmakers stuff budgets with earmarks

(Newser) - The earmark lives. Despite much public clamoring about lawmakers loading up budgets with expensive pet projects, not much changed this year: The domestic and defense budgets contain more than 11,000 such earmarks, the Washington Post reports. "It would take leadership in both parties—and a lot more shame—...

Bush's Wins Now Could Be Trouble Later

Victories over Dems may hurt his own initiatives, raise debt

(Newser) - Christmas came early for President Bush, who’s scored a slew of recent victories over the Democratic Congress. But the wins could threaten both the federal debt and some of his own pet projects, the Washington Post speculates. Bush’s steadfast opposition to tax-increasing spending measures from Democrats could push...

Pentagon, Congress Play Chicken Over Iraq Funds

Layoffs threatened; Dems unmoved

(Newser) - The Pentagon is threatening as many as 200,000 civilian layoffs by Christmas if war funding isn't approved by Congress, but Dems say there will be no funding until Bush sets withdrawal dates for Iraq. "Both sides are playing a big game of chicken here," a Congressional budget...

Dems: Hidden Costs Double Price of War

$1.5T price tag on Iraq, Afghanistan tallies to $20,000 per family

(Newser) - The costs of waging war in Iraq and Afghanistan is actually $1.5 trillion, Democrats say in a report out today—far above the $802 billion spent or appropriated by Congress. Citing "hidden costs" such as higher oil prices, veterans' care, and interest on war debt, the report estimates...

House OKs Trade Deal With Peru
House OKs Trade Deal
With Peru
Nov 8, 2007 4:27 PM CST

House OKs Trade Deal With Peru

Bill split Dems, who defied wishes of labor unions

(Newser) - Despite sharp criticism from labor leaders, environmentalists, and free-trade opponents, roughly half of House Democrats joined nearly all Republicans to pass a trade-liberalization agreement with Peru. Speaker Nancy Pelosi came out in favor of the deal, defying expectations that President Bush would find no friends for his trade policy in...

House Overrides Bush's Veto of Water Bill

Rejection is first of presidency; Senate likely to follow suit

(Newser) - The House overrode a presidential veto tonight for the first time in the Bush administration, with 138 Republicans crossing party lines to support a $23 billion water-resources bill. The 361-54 vote was far more than the two-thirds needed to override, reflecting the popularity on both sides of the aisle of...

Dems Skewer Rice Over Iraq Foul-ups
Dems Skewer Rice Over
Iraq Foul-ups
Oct 25, 2007 6:35 PM CDT

Dems Skewer Rice Over Iraq Foul-ups

Condy accused of lax oversight of Blackwater, corruption, US embassy

(Newser) - House Democrats today grilled Condoleezza Rice over alleged State Department bungling in Iraq, from failure to supervise private security contractors like Blackwater to ignoring corruption in the new Iraqi government to sloppy oversight of the new US embassy in Baghdad. Usually composed, Rice showed signs of frustration today, as Dems...

Dems Nostalgic for Reagan Era
Dems Nostalgic for Reagan Era
Oct 6, 2007 11:57 AM CDT

Dems Nostalgic for Reagan Era

For some relativists, comparison with Bush makes Ronny shine

(Newser) - As President Bush's popularity among congressional Democrats plummets amid a storm of threats and vetoes, some have grown nostalgic for a bygone era—the Reagan era. "I never thought I'd say this, but I long for the pragmatism of Ronald Reagan," said Rep. Rahm Emanuel. Aided by a...

Social Security Fund Faces $13.6 Trillion Shortfall

Only taxes or slashed benefits can save program

(Newser) - Slashing benefits or hiking taxes—or both—is the only way to make the Social Security system solvent, reports a Treasury Department briefing paper. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson warned that faster economic growth alone won't solve the money problems of  Social Security, which faces a $13.6 trillion shortfall in...

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